Social sciences

Affective and Cognitive Factors in Soldiers' Reenlistment Decisions

Article Abstract:

More than six hundred soldiers answered a questionnaire designed to study causal relationships inherent in job satisfaction. Previous surveys have collected data which provide ample evidence that job dissatisfaction harbors departure feelings, but other variables such as the turnover process showed up consistently. Expectancy consequences, in terms of leaving, remaining and intention to quit or stay, were researched through three model methods. Affective and cognitive variables in these models were tested and results for models A and B were found inconsistent with favorable Army attributes. Model C has not yet been ruled out on the basis that job satisfaction affects turnover intent only through its results on expectancies. To extend the investigation beyond the military, preventive management strategies for reducing employee turnover should include improvements in working conditions, services and salaries.

Influence of price on aspects of consumers' cognitive process

Article Abstract:

Adaptation level theory was used to test whether advertised price and source credibility in an ad influence three components of consumers' cognitive process. Ss were exposed to print ads having 2 levels of price information for 2 competing products and 2 levels of source credibility. An advertised price generally had a greater effect on consumer involvement, cognitive responses, and behavioral intentions when source credibility was relatively high and the competing-product price vis-a-vis the advertised price was higher than when the opposite conditions prevailed. It is concluded that price information about competing products, as well as about source credibility, should be included as part of a theoretical framework that seeks to explain the effect of an advertised price on consumers' cognitive process. Future research avenues are noted. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Importance of specialized cognitive function in the selection of military pilots

Article Abstract:

Tests of specialized cognitive function were given to 600 student naval aviators in early stages of training. Visuospatial skills (mental rotation and locating points in space) were higher for student naval aviators who graduated from aviation training than for those who dropped out. Performance on verbosequential skills (verbal fluency and memory of serial order) showed no difference between the groups. Distributions of visuospatial scores demonstrated reasonable cutoff points that could have eliminated considerably more dropouts than graduates prior to investment in training. Logistic regression also showed that high performances on verbosequential skills improved the odds of success for aviators with low visuospatial ability but decreased the odds for those with high visuospatial ability. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)